Blogger of Jared

The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator” (Alma 30:44).

Speaking to Korihor, the Anti-Christ, Alma testifies that all things denote there is a God, a Supreme Creator. Not only do all things testify that Jesus Christ is our Creator, but everything we have received from him, directly or through his prophets, testifies that he is our Savior and Redeemer. A sampling of these testimonies follows.

The Scriptures

The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ

As stated in its title, the purpose of the Book of Mormon is to testify of Jesus Christ. The title page confirms that the purpose of this inspired work includes “the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that JESUS is the CHRIST, the ETERNAL God, manifesting himself unto all nations.”

The Bible

The purpose of the Bible also is to teach and testify of the Savior. Nephi learns in vision that the Bible contains the gospel of Jesus Christ and testifies of the truth in him:

“When it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in the Lamb of God” (1 Nephi 13:24)

More specifically, the full title of the New Testament itself verifies its purpose to testify of Jesus Christ: “The New Testament of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” In addition, the Preface to the King James Version of the Bible states that the purpose of the translation was for “maintaining the truth of CHRIST, and propagating it far and near….”

People

Great men in the scriptures often served as living examples or types of Jesus Christ. Elder Andrew C. Skinner wrote, “The lives of … Old Testament personalities—prophets and priests—are types or similitudes of the life of the great Prophet and Priest.” (Andrew C. Skinner, “Finding Jesus Christ in the Old Testament,” Ensign, Jun 2002, 24). I believe this applies to all the prophets of the Lord. When we read the scriptures, if we’ll look for types of Christ in the great men of the scriptures, we can learn more about the Savior.

Melchizedek

Look at the many ways in which Melchizedek was a type of Christ as described in the Book of Alma:

Alma 13:17

• he “was a king over the land of Salem” (Hebrew for peace)

Alma 13:18

• he “exercised mighty faith”
• he “received the office of the high priesthood according to the holy order of God”
• he “did preach repentence unto his people”
• he “did established peace”
• “he was called the prince of peace”
• “he did reign under his father”

Alma 13:19

• “There were many before him, and also there were many afterwards, but none were greater”

Ether

In several ways, Ether was also a type of Christ:

Ether 11:18-23

• Ether was a descendant of the rightful king (just as Christ was a descendant of David)

Ether 13:2

• The people rejected Ether
• “he truly told them of all things”

Ether 13:13

• The people “esteemed him as naught, and cast him out” (NOTE: after they cast him out, the Jaredites were all destroyed just as Jerusalem was destroyed not long after the Savior was crucified and as we all will be spiritually destroyed if we cast the Lord out of our hearts)

Ether 13:20

• He called the people to repentance

Events

Many events in the scriptures are types of the Plan of Salvation in that they show a people delivered from physical captivity. As a result, they are instructive in showing that Jesus Christ, our Savior, can deliver us from our own spiritual bondage. Such stories include the following:

• Lehi’s family crossing the ocean to the promised land
• Nephite armies conquering larger Lamanite hosts when they were obedient and prayed for deliverance
• Israelites bitten by poisonous serpents looking up to live

Teachings of the Prophets and Apostles

One of the primary roles of prophets and apostles is to testify of Jesus Christ and his mission. A sampling of these witnesses follows.

Isaiah

Nephi loved to read and teach the writings of Isaiah to his people, “That I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah” (1 Nephi 19:23).

Alma

Having had to rely himself on the power of the Atonement, Alma the Younger was able to testify of the truthfulness of that great event and the power of Jesus Christ to deliver us from sin and death. “And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities” (Alma 7:12)

Paul

The Lord called Apostles to serve as special witnesses of him throughout all the world (see Acts 10:41; D&C 27:12; D&C 107:23). For example, Paul was called as “an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)” (Galatians 1:1).

Teachings of the Lord himself

Jesus Christ himself testified of the mission his Father sent him to fulfill. “And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross” (3 Nephi 27:13-22). Also remember the words he spoke in the synagogue in Nazareth on the sabbath day. After reading the words of Isaiah who prophesied that the Lord would heal the brokenhearted, deliver the captives, and set at liberty the bruised, he testified, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” (Luke 4:16-21).

Outward Ordinances and Practices

Gospel ordinances as well as the ancient practices the people of Israel were commanded to follow were designed specifically to teach adherents of Jesus Christ and his mission and to remind us of him.

Baptism

The ordinance of baptism by immersion is symbolic of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Elder Boyd K. Packer wrote, “Baptism, a sacred ordinance, is symbolic of a cleansing, symbolic of death and resurrection, symbolic of coming forward in a newness of life.” (Boyd K. Packer, “The Holy Temple,” Ensign, Feb 1995, 32).

The Law of Moses

The Law of Moses was given to the people of Israel to teach them of and point them to Jesus Christ. Nephi said, “Behold, my soul delighteth in proving unto my people the truth of the coming of Christ; for, for this end hath the law of Moses been given; and all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of him” (2 Nephi 11:4). Paul testified as well that the Law of Moses was a “schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ” (Galatians 3:24).

Animal Sacrifice

Adam was commanded to offer “sacrifices unto the Lord.” When asked by an angel why he did this, he answered that he did not know why, but he did it because he was commanded. The angel then told him, “This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth.” (Moses 5:6-7). In other words, animal sacrifice “prefigured the future sacrifice of the Savior, the Lamb of God” (Stephen E. Robinson, “The Law after Christ,” Ensign, Sep 1983, 69).

Allegories and Parables

The parables taught by the Savior and the allegories offered throughout the scriptures including the great allegory in Jacob Chapter 5 all teach us of Jesus Christ, his mission, and our relationship with him. “The Lord himself, the Master Teacher, knew the value of symbols and used them to teach the most important truths of his gospel, including his mission as Savior. His parables, for example, illustrate how symbolism can be used effectively.” (Lenet Hadley Read, “All Things Testify of Him: Understanding Symbolism in the Scriptures,” Ensign, Jan 1981, 5)

Conclusion

As we study the scriptures and the words of the latter-day prophets and as we participate in sacred ordinances, it will be worth our time to think about what these teach us of Jesus Christ. All things denote there is a God.